UV Light Systems in Galveston, TX

UV-C lights are one of the most effective weapons against mold in Gulf Coast HVAC systems, and Galveston homes get more benefit from them than almost any other climate in the country. The reason is straightforward: mold needs moisture to grow, and your evaporator coil and ductwork provide a constantly damp environment that Galveston's 80%+ humidity keeps wet year-round. A UV-C light installed at the evaporator coil sterilizes that surface continuously, killing mold, bacteria, and viruses before they can colonize your system and circulate through your home.

How UV-C Works in HVAC Systems

UV-C refers to ultraviolet light at 253.7 nanometers — a specific wavelength that destroys the DNA and RNA of microorganisms. When mold spores, bacteria, or viruses are exposed to UV-C light at sufficient intensity, their genetic material is scrambled. They can't reproduce. They die. This isn't theoretical — it's the same technology hospitals use to sterilize operating rooms and the same principle water treatment plants use to kill pathogens.

In your HVAC system, a UV-C lamp is installed inside the air handler, positioned to irradiate the evaporator coil surface. The coil is the wettest component in the system — refrigerant flowing through it chills the surface below the dew point, causing moisture from the air to condense on the fins and tubing. In Galveston's humidity, your coil is essentially wet at all times during the cooling season. That perpetual moisture makes it a breeding ground for mold and bacteria that coat the coil, reduce its efficiency, and release spores into the air stream every time your blower runs.

The UV-C light runs continuously, bathing the coil in germicidal energy 24/7. Mold can't establish colonies on a surface that's being sterilized around the clock. Bacteria can't multiply. The coil stays clean, operates at full efficiency, and stops acting as a biological contaminant distribution system.

Why Galveston Homes Get Maximum Benefit

The effectiveness of UV-C lights is directly proportional to the mold and bacteria load in the system. In dry climates like Arizona or Colorado, the evaporator coil isn't constantly wet, mold pressure is lower, and the benefit of UV treatment is modest. In Galveston, the coil is wet 9-10 months of the year, outdoor mold spore counts are among the highest in the nation, and humidity provides the ideal growth conditions. The UV light is working harder — and delivering more measurable benefit — than it would in any inland installation.

We've measured the impact directly. On coils without UV treatment in Galveston homes, swab cultures routinely show Cladosporium, Aspergillus, Penicillium, and occasionally Stachybotrys (black mold) growing on the coil surface. After 30 days of UV-C treatment, follow-up cultures show 99%+ reduction in viable organisms. The coils look cleaner to the naked eye too — no more dark biological film on the fins.

Coil-Mounted vs. Air-Stream UV Systems

There are two types of UV installations for HVAC systems, and they serve different purposes.

Coil-mounted (stick) lights are installed permanently beside the evaporator coil, running continuously to keep the coil surface sterilized. This is the most effective application for Gulf Coast homes because it targets the primary mold growth site — the perpetually damp coil. The light doesn't need to treat every cubic foot of air passing through; it just needs to keep the coil clean. A single high-output UV-C lamp positioned 4-6 inches from the coil surface provides enough intensity to sterilize the entire coil area.

Air-stream UV systems are installed in the return or supply duct and irradiate air as it passes through. The challenge here is dwell time — air moves through ductwork at 500-900 feet per minute, giving each air molecule only a fraction of a second of UV exposure. To kill mold spores and bacteria in that brief exposure window, you need very high-intensity lamps or multiple lamps in series. These systems work but are more expensive and less targeted than coil-mounted units.

For most Galveston homes, we recommend the coil-mounted approach as the primary installation. It addresses the biggest problem — mold on the coil — at the most cost-effective price point. Air-stream systems can be added as a secondary layer for homes with severe air quality concerns or immunocompromised residents.

What UV Lights Don't Do

UV-C lights are not a complete air quality solution. They're outstanding at killing biological contaminants on the coil surface and, to a lesser extent, in the air stream. But they don't filter particulate matter (salt particles, dust, pollen), they don't reduce humidity, and they don't address VOCs from building materials or household chemicals. In Galveston's complex air quality environment, UV works best as one layer in a multi-component approach — paired with proper filtration and dehumidification.

UV lights also require maintenance. The lamps lose output over time and should be replaced annually to maintain germicidal effectiveness. The good news: lamp replacement is quick and inexpensive — typically $50-$100 for the lamp itself, and it takes about 15 minutes to swap. We include UV lamp inspection in our $129 coastal tune-up (regularly $225).

Installation Details

UV light installation takes 1-2 hours. The lamp mounts inside the air handler with a dedicated power supply wired to the blower circuit or a separate switch. We position the lamp based on your specific coil geometry to maximize coverage — every square inch of coil surface needs sufficient UV intensity to prevent mold colonization.

The installation includes a sight glass or access port so you can visually confirm the lamp is operating without opening the air handler. UV-C light is harmful to eyes and skin with direct exposure, so the installation is fully sealed within the air handler cabinet.

Cost and Return

A quality UV-C coil light installation runs $400-$800 in Galveston, depending on the lamp model and your air handler configuration. Annual lamp replacement adds $50-$100. For that investment, you get a coil that stays mold-free, maintains rated efficiency (no biological insulation layer reducing heat transfer), and stops circulating mold spores through your home.

The efficiency benefit alone — a clean coil versus a mold-coated coil — can reduce cooling costs by 5-10% over a season. In Galveston, where AC runs most of the year, that efficiency saving contributes meaningfully to paying back the installation cost within 2-3 years.

We install UV light systems across Galveston, Texas City, League City, Dickinson, La Marque, and Santa Fe. If your home smells musty when the AC kicks on, or if anyone in your household has allergy or asthma symptoms that worsen indoors, a UV-C light on your evaporator coil is one of the fastest, most measurable improvements you can make.